Rivermen lose game, and opportunity, 2-1

The Peoria Rivermen had an opportunity to make a big move in the Western Conference race on Saturday against the last-place Rockford IceHogs.

Instead, the Rivermen slowed to a crawl on the ice, and temporarily in the standings, with a 2-1 loss to Rockford before a season-high 7,649 at Carver Arena.

Newly-acquired right wing Patrick O’Sullivan set up captain Adam Cracknell for a first-period power play goal and 1-0 lead for the Rivermen. But Peoria turned in a disappointing effort in the final 40 minutes and gave up the game-winner to defenseman Ben Youds at17:45 of the third.

Dave Eminian

The Peoria Rivermen had an opportunity to make a big move in the Western Conference race on Saturday against the last-place Rockford IceHogs.

Instead, the Rivermen slowed to a crawl on the ice, and temporarily in the standings, with a 2-1 loss to Rockford before a season-high 7,649 at Carver Arena.

Newly-acquired right wing Patrick O’Sullivan set up captain Adam Cracknell for a first-period power play goal and 1-0 lead for the Rivermen. But Peoria turned in a disappointing effort in the final 40 minutes and gave up the game-winner to defenseman Ben Youds at 17:45 of the third.

That sent Rivermen goaltender Jake Allen to his fifth 2-1 loss of the season. And it marked the third time in five games the Rivermen lost 2-1 — with all three losses on home ice.

Had the Rivermen won, they would have jumped Chicago — which lost Friday — and closed to within two points of the Midwest Division lead, sitting in a tie for fourth in the conference.

Instead, they let the IceHogs slip away with their fifth win in six games and play spoiler, knocking Peoria into a tie for sixth in the conference.

“I’m just glad I got this game in,” said O’Sullivan, who left his AHL Portland team at 4:30 a.m. Saturday and flew to Charlotte — where he sat on the plane through a two-hour delay on the runway — then flew into Chicago and drove to Peoria. “I got here at 6 p.m., just in time to watch some videotape, throw on my gear and go play.

“I felt horrible out there, but we got this one out of the way and now I have some days to regroup and meet everyone and catch up.

“It’s no secret I was looking for an exit from Portland, wasn’t happy there. Let’s leave it at that. My family is living in Phoenix (where he played in the NHL this season) and Peoria is an easier place to get them to. I expect to be an impact player on offense here and be a leader.

“This is a good team here and I think it can win it all.”

O’Sullivan skated with center Phil McRae and winger Derek Nesbitt, and paid dividends right away when he set up Cracknell for a power play goal and 1-0 lead at 13:49 of the first period.

The Rivermen held off the Hogs in a turning point when they faced, and erased, a five-on-three power play that lasted 1:31 midway through the second period.

Allen twice slid over to the right post to rob backdoor one-timers from Peter LeBlanc during that two-man advantage.

But the IceHogs tied it at 2:53 of the third period when LeBlanc — who launched 10 shots in the game — parked above the crease and tipped in a lob on net from defenseman Ryan Stanton.

The game was in slow motion for stretches of the third period, and Peoria came up 2:15 short of earning at least a point, surrendering the winner to Youds when his snap along the ice from the right edge of the slot above the right circle glanced in off the right post.

“I didn’t even see it,” Allen said. “I heard it go off the post, and then I saw them celebrate.

“We had a great start to this game with our first period. But they took it to us in the final 30 minutes. We laid back. We can’t give ’em opportunities like that.”

RIVER READINGS: The Rivermen released CHL Bloomington goaltender Brian Mahoney-Wilson after the game. ... Rockford defenseman Ryan Stanton has just 1 goal and 11 assists in 59 games this season — but 7 of those assists are against the Rivermen. ... St. Louis Blues assistant general manager, director of pro scouting and Rivermen GM Kevin McDonald was in attendance. ... Check the Cleve’s World sports blog on pjstar.com for video of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performing between periods at Saturday’s game.

Dave Eminian covers the Rivermen for the Journal Star. Reach him at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.